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Musings about the virtual and the real world

Intermission

Funny how this year shapes itself as a repeat of last year. First 2 months were pretty quiet and then in March all hell breaks loose in my real life. In 2014, I nearly threw the towel on EVE and almost to the day a year later, I am at the exact same point. Worn out, with too many flights and conferences under my belt, I am just too wiped for spaceships.

There is a difference though, last year, my RL crunch coincided with me having lost faith into CCP, I didn’t think I’d come back. This year its different, I am actually curious what the future holds and how the game will change. So, you can’t have my stuff yet.

And I did log in the other night and thankfully none of my bloodthirsty alliance mates were online. Its not that I don’t like them (I do, I do!) but I didn’t feel like talking or stalking or scouting. I just wanted to goof around solo for a few minutes and I don’t really have a stable of alts that I can fly outside of my corp’s social expectations. But yes, I found myself all alone in a quiet corner of high sec with a Vexor Navy Issue fit for PvE. Don’t ask me why I have it, I have no idea. Last time, I used the VNI was for a POS bash since I am too cheap for an Ishtar. Since I had it fitted, may as well run some anomaly in this 0.6 system. 15 minutes and < 1million ISK later I am ready to log off and go to bed. High sec was maybe a bad idea.

But while I was running this worthless anomaly, I scouted with an alt and found a very quiet C1 wormhole. It had a POS and only one other (EOL) connection, everything was on D-scan and my alt can cover the High sec entrance.

I bring the VNI in, in flight realizing that I am not really fit for this. This boat doesn’t have an Omni Tank, its speed-tanked (yes, yes, I don’t know anything about fits) and cap is very tight. So, standing still and getting neuted could get dicey.

And of course, that’s exactly what happens. I warped into the Anom at zero km (dumbass) and the frigates web me, the cruisers neut me. This is not working. I warp off with 10% armor and slightly soiled underwear.

Second round. I warp into the anom at range, let the Hobs lose and take a long orbit with MWD on at full blast. This boat is so fast, not even the frigates can catch me.

They just catch my drones instead and pop goes the weasel. Good thing I brought a few. I recall and turn off the MWD so that the little red crosses can catch up with me. Once in range, I fling the Hobs back out and at ’em. Frigates dont stand a chance to max drone skill character in a bonused boat. The NPC cruisers too but progress is slow, I swap for Hammers which evoke more agreeable damage. After all, I am sitting in an anomaly in a rather expensive ship and as professional wormholer, I know the dangers.

I am keenly aware that many pairs of eyes could be on me at any given time. To thwart an attack, I relentlessly mash D-scan on both my toons and change orbit on my Vexor all the time. This means, the evil enemy would have to either use combat probes (that I can see) or an interceptor and very good coordinates to catch me. A bubbleship would have to land right on top of me and with my speed, I’d probably coast out of the bubble before they can web me.

This is actually a pretty safe way of making ISK and I muse if one of the new destroyers wouldn’t even be better at it. They can kite when needed, tank like cruiser and I do know that they can dish out damage like a MoFo. I assume a pair of those can take down one of those C1 sites in a few minutes – probably even C2. Maybe even an assault frigate?

Well, my cruiser may not have been perfect but it does get the job done and the site is clear. I forgot to bring the mobile salvaging thing so I fetch my trusty Catalyst and salvage the old fashioned way. Its about 20mil (really, C1s are that much? Thank you Corbexx, let me kiss you) and I drop back to highsec without incidence.

This solitary evening was what I needed, most of the danger came from PvE and my (lack of) piloting skills rather than other players. I didn’t have to explain to my corp mates why I am not hauling fuel, scouting routes or do something else “social” and I had my little scary moments that you can really only get in EVE.

So, I am taking it easy these days, don’t expect tales of mass murder and mayhem. Heck, maybe I even mine! (ok that was a joke, I promise I wont sink that low)